The first kings were of the Batembuzi
dynasty. Batembuzi means harbingers or pioneers. The batembuzi and their
reign are not well documented, and are surrounded by a lot of myth and
oral legend. There is very little concurrence among scholars regarding
the Batembuzi time period in history, even the names and successive order
of individual kings. It is believed that their reign dates back to the
height of Africa's bronze age. The number of individual batembuzi reigns,
as given by different scholars, ranges from nine to twenty one.

The Bacweezi are credited with the
founding of the ancient empire of Kitara; which included areas of present
day central, western, and southern Uganda; northern Tanzania, western Kenya,
and eastern Congo. Very little is documented about them. Their entire reign
was shrouded in mystery, so much so that they were accorded the status
of demi gods and worshiped by various clans. Many traditional gods in
Tooro, Bunyoro and Buganda have typical kicweezi (adjective) names
like Ndahura, Mulindwa, Wamara, Kagoro, etc.

The bacweezi dynasty must have been
very short, as supported by only three names of kings documented by historians.
The bacweezi kings were Ndahura, Mulindwa and Wamara; in this order.

In addition to founding the empire
of Kitara, the bacweezi are further credited with the introduction of the
unique, long-horned ankole cattle, coffee growing, iron smelting, and the
first semblance of organized and centralized government, under the king.

No one knows what happened to the
Bacweezi. About their disappearence, there is no shortage of colorful legend.
One legend claims that they migrated westward and disappeared into Lake
Mwitanzige (Albert). Another legend has them disappering into lake Wamala,
which bears the name of the last king of the dynasty. There is a popular
belief among scholars that they simply got assimilated into the indegenous
populace, and are, today, the tribal groups like the bahima of Ankole and
the batutsi of Rwanda. The bahima and batutsi have the elegant, tall build
and light complexion of the bacweezi, and are traditionally herders of
the long-horned Ankole cattle.

The bacweezi dynasty was followed
by the babiito dynasty. Toro kingdom was, and still is, under the babiito
dynasty. Any attempt to pinpoint the dates of this or any other dynasty
before it is pure conjecture, as there were no written records at the time.
Modern day historians place the beginning of the babiito dynasty at around
the time of the invasion of Bunyoro by the Luo from the North. The first
mubiito
(singular) king was Isingoma Mpuuga Rukidi I, whose reign is placed around
the 14th century. Todate, there have been a total of 33 babiito kings,
including 7 princes who, for one reason or another, were not referred to
as omukama
(king).

The kingdom of Tooro, of the babiito
dynasty, aptly claims its rightful origins in the ancient empire of Kitara.
The first son of Omukama Kyebambe III of Bunyoro rebelled and annexed the
southern part of his father's kingdom, forming his own kingdom. He placed
the northern border of his new kingdom at River Muziizi. The kingdom
of Tooro was born, under the reign of Rukirabasaija Omukama
Kaboyo Kasunsunkwanzi Olimi I.

Following the death of Omukama Kaboyo
Olimi I, there followed several other kings and princes on the Tooro throne.
Some of them reigned for very short periods of time, during which they
were still referred to as "Omubiito" (prince) , not by the right
title of "Rukirabasaija Omukama". When we include such princes,
the number of batooro kings comes to 8. The present Omukama is Rukirabasaija
Omukama
Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. A brief write up on each Omukama
follows. It should be noted here that the numerical denotation of kings
of Tooro takes off from the list of Bunyoro kings, before Tooro broke away.
This is why, for instance, while there have been a total of two kings with
the name Olimi on the Tooro throne, Omukama Patrick
Matthew Kaboyo Olimi was Olimi VII.

Prince Kaboyo was the first son
of Omukama Kyebambe III of Kitara. He rebelled and annexed the southern
part of his father's kingdom which he declared an independent kingdom of
Toro. He had visited Tooro several times, to collect taxes for his father
and check on the royal herds. He was taken by Tooro's beauty and the friendly
way he was received by the batooro. He befriended a number of influential
men in Tooro, who later played a key role in the success of his annexation
scheme.

Kaboyo's sisters, princesses Mpanja
and Batebe, who then lived in Tooro, caught wind of their brother's plan
to rebel. They reported this to their father, Omukama Kyebambe, who went
into denial and refused to believe that his beloved son would do such a
thing. The rebel prince asked for and obtained his father's permission
to return to Tooro, under the pretext that the wife he had left in Tooro
was expecting twins, and that he needed to return and be by her side. This
is when he finalized his breaking away plan and never returned to Bunyoro.
When his father died, the people of Bunyoro sent for Kaboyo to return and
accede his father's throne. He refused saying he had his own people to
look after in Tooro.

He claimed the Toro throne after
overthrowing his brother, Omubiito Kazaana Ruhaga. His reign was ended
when his brother, Omubiito Kato Rukidi, with the help of an army given
to him by the Kabaka (King) of Buganda, managed to overthrow him. He fled
to nearby Mboga, in Congo, while his brother Kato Rukidi took over the
throne.

He overthrew his brother, Omukama
Nyaika Kasunga and claimed the throne for himself. When Nyaika Kasunga,
then exiled in Mboga, heard that the mercenaries who had helped his brother,
Kato Rukidi, to overthrow him had returned to Buganda, he returned and
retook his throne; becoming Omukama for the second time.

Having retaken the throne from his
rebel brother, Omubiito Kato Rukidi, Omukama Nyaika Kasunga made the mistake
of offending Omukama Cwa Kabalega of Bunyoro. Nyaika Kasunga sent his men
to Mwenge with orders to capture for him some of Kabalega's royal cows.

Omukama Kabalega was angered by
this action, and he sent his men with orders to capture Nyaika Kasunga
and bring him to his court in Bunyoro. The expedition to capture Nyaika
included 40 ruthless, nubian marcenaries. Omukama Nyaika Kasunga was able
to defeat the invading force. He died two years later, and was succeeded
by his son, Omubiito Olimi Mukabirere.

He succeeded his father, Nyaika
Kasunga. Shortly after his accession to the throne, Omukama Kabalega of
Kitara sent an army to defeat Olimi II and bring an end to the secessionist
kingdom of Tooro altogether.

Kabalega's army arrived in Tooro
in the middle of internal strife. A rebel prince, Mukarusa, had annexed
the beautiful area of Busongora, in the southern end of Tooro kingdom, and
declared himself king over it. Omukama Olimi II, already weak from trying
to fight Omubiito Mukarusa, was easily captured, with several other members
of the Tooro royal family, and forcibly taken away to Bunyoro.

Realizing Kabalega's determination
to totally put an end to Tooro kingdom, the leaders of the babiito clan,
in Tooro, decided to send Olimi's son and heir, Prince Kasagama and his
younger brother to Ankole, saving them from the wrath of Kabalega.

Omubiito Mukarusa, who had annexed
part of his brother Mukabirere's kingdom did not escape the mighty Kabalega,
who was determined to finish off all rebel princes. His capture shortly
followed that of his brother, and he, too, was taken to Bunyoro. He was,
therefore, the last of the rebel princes. Kabalega had, finally, succeeded
in regaining the breakaway kingdom of Tooro and bringing the land back to
Kitara where it belonged. He proceeded to subdivide Tooro into the old administrative
areas that existed during the days of his grandfather, Omukama Kyebambe
III.

In chronicling efforts by various
parties to rid Toro of Kabalega's harrassment, we cannot forget the valiant
effort of prince Nyamuyonjo Kakende, grandson of Omukama Kaboyo Olimi I.
With the help of an army given to him by the Kabaka of Buganda, Omubiito
Kakende was able to drive Kabalega's army out of Tooro, and declare himself
Omukama. Kabalega was not prepared to tolerate another rebel prince in
Tooro. He sent an expedition against Prince Kakende. The prince was forced
to flee to Buganda, where he later died of small pox.

Kabalega's constant harrassment
of Tooro ended on August 14, 1891, when he was defeated by Captain Lugard,
an agent of the then Imperial British East African Company. Lugard brought
with him several nubian mercenaries to help him accomplish his task. The
descendants of these nubians form Tooro's nubian community, that is present
to this day. Captain Lugard was, therefore, instrumental in returning Tooro
kingdom to its rightful heir, Omubiito (Prince) Kasagama; who became Omukama
Daudi Kyebambe Kasagama, M.B.E., Tooro's first modern day Omukama.

Omukama Kasagama is credited with
making the final break from the clutches of Kabalega of Kitara, and with
leading Tooro into the modern colonial era. He had regained his father's
kingdom with the help of Europeans, whom he welcomed as friends. He cooperated
with the white colonial rulers and was open minded enough to even try some
of their ways, like schooling and Christianity.

Omukama Kyebambe Kasagama was respected
and honored by both local and colonial governments. Queen Victoria honored
him with a special medal emblazoned with his name. This was in appreciation
for Kasagama's refusal to join forces with nubian soldiers who had started
a rising against the colonial government.

In the year 1900, Omukama Kyebambe
Kasagama signed an agreement with Sir. H. Johnston, making Tooro part of
the British Protectorate. It was in a true spirit of patriotism, therefore,
that during the First Worl War, he sent a batallion of young batooro soldiers
to fight on the allies side. For this patriotic sacrifice, Omukama Daudi
Kyebambe Kasagama was awarded the order of M.B.E. by H.M. King George
VI of England.

Omukama Kyebambe Kasagama is still
remembered for embracing peace within his kingdom and with Tooro's neighbors.
He allowed all religious faiths to flourish, and he became a Christian
in the year 1896. He encouraged his chiefs to send their children to school,
to discover the white man's secrets, and set an example by sending his
own two sons, princes Hosea Nyabongo and George
Rukidi to school. Prince Nyabongo went on to excell academically and become
one of the world's best educated individuals.

Prince George Kamurasi succeeded
his father, Daudi Kyebambe Kasagama, as Omukama of Tooro on January 29,
1929. His people praised him as "Ruraihya n'emundu, emanzi ya Kyebambe"
(He who sleeps among guns, the brave one of Kyebambe) because of his distingushed
service in the King's African Rifles (K.A.R.), during the Second World
War; where he earned the rank of lieutenant. He was later knited by Queen
Elizabeth II, and became popularly known as Sir George by his many friends
at home and abroad.

Omukama Rukidi III supported education
and encouraged all batooro to send their children to school. During his
reign, his government gave scholarships to all batooro attending higher
secondary school. One of his own children, Princess
Elizabeth Bagaaya, went on to become the third african woman to ever
graduate from the prestigious Cambridge University. She earned a law degree
and was admitted to the English bar.

Omukama Rukidi III passed away in
1965 and was succeded by his son, Prince Patrick Matthew
Kaboyo Olimi VII. Omukama Olimi VII had two very sort reigns.
His first reign was terminated in 1967, when then Prime Minister Apollo
Milton Obote abrogated the constitution and made Uganda a republic with
himself as president. When the N.R.M. government of President Yoweeri Museveni
reinstated the institution of king in 1993, Patrick Kaboyo became Omukama
of Tooro for the second time, but his second reign was very short. He suddenly
passed away in 1987, and was suceeded by his three and a half years old
son, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.